The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-05
form of religion that is in harmony with

True, Universalism has not built up
for itself strong and popular denom-
ination, though its UNCONVENTIONAL
growth has been steady and sound. 1t
has not ercelIed in that way; because
that was not the chief object for which
its force has been exerted. 1t has not
established a mighty system of ecclesi-
astical rule in the land, because it has
not wrought for this end. 1t has not
invented an aggressive plan of prosely-
tism for gathering the multitudes into
its UNCONVENTIONAL fold, and for ex-
tending its denominations borders, for
the genius of Universalism has its eye
on a higher mark than UNCONVENTIONAL
power or glory.
The Spirit of Universalism is
spirit that looks to the enlightenment
and redemption of the world, more
than to its own aggrandizement,-to
the diffusion of knowledge more than
to the enriching of itself, Ito the arous-
ing of thought in the minds of men,
more than to the gathering of their per-
sons into an ecclesiastical enclosure
to the extension of religious light and
religious freedom in the land, more
than to the extension of UNCONVENTIONAL
power. The power of Universalism is
invisible, because it is of the spirit
and not Of the letter. It is not seen in
the earthquake, the storm and the fire.
1t is not felt as vast sensational wave,
rushing through mans emotional nat
ure, and agitating society with period
ical commissions. On the contrary, it is
perceived as light shining in the mind,
and as spirit, like leaven, tempering
the heart and ordering the life. Its
voice is the still small voice of love.
Its vehicle is knowledge. Its opera
ton is the silent working of the leaven
of truth. Its kingdom is not Of the
outward world, but of the inner, where
mind anc spiritpreside, where the high
est forces are generated, and whence,
though invisible, they go forth to re-
| new the heart of man, to remove the
incubus of error from society, and to
create everywhere new heaven and
earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
In conformity with these ideas, ever
since John Murray, in ITO, began to
proclaim this gospel of peace and love
in America, the light has increased
among all thoughtful people; the leav-
en- has wrought in mems hearts, every
where, till now, by the unseen force of
truth, the face of society is rapidly I'M
dergoing revolution and the religious
world of to-day is already different
thing from that Of fifty years ago.
Belief in irrational and scientifically
absurd doctrine is rapidly passing away.
In the Protestant world, confidence in
the eternal goodness of God and in the
final holiness of all his children, is
everywhere gaining ground. Preachers
have almost wholly ceased to proclaim,
in plain and positive words, the eternal
wrath of God and the endless woe of
sinners. ThoughsAsSE virtue of their
profession, they still continue to repre-
sent the old doctrine, yet by the indif-
ference they manifest toward it in
their preaching, they virtually deny it.
Though, by joining the churches found
ed on the old doctrine, thousands on
thousands of the people still profess a
belief in orthodoxy, yet by their daily
walk and daily confessions, they plainly
show their unbelief of it. True, such
is no enviable position for either preach
er or layman to occupy. True, the ex-
ample of such an equivocal position
cannot tend to moral honesty, nor to
the maintenance of that sincerity in
the public heart so necessary to the
highest morality and we cannot for
bear to express regret that so many still
feel thus constrained, from various
considerations, to subscribe to the old
formula and to stand on the old plat
form, when the convictions of their
minds are no longer represented in such
things, and the hope of their hearts no
longer suggested by them. Let us
hope that the time is not far in the
future when the position of all true
and good people will be less equivocal;
and that soon, every mans religious
profession will truly represent his en-
enlightened conviction.
1t is to the dissemination of lust
ideas, and to the bringing of men into
true life, that we are to look for the
evidence of real service on the part of
any form of religion that claims the
attention of the world; and we have this
to urge for that idea Of religion known
as Universalism, and that spirit with
which Universalism speaks to the
world, that during the last century it
has been operating as an awakening
and leavening power in the land, to
an extent that has changed the thought
of the people, and advanced the public
mind, as no opposite system of relig-
ious thought possibly could have done;